Band-cutter.



110.73%539. I PATENTED AUG. 25, 1903. W. WEIDMAN.

BAND CUTTER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 21. 1903.

N0 MODEL.

WITNESSES: [NVENTOR f K mzzl am figz dwan m: Momma PETER! C. Pncroumu, wAsnmcmu. o. c.

UNITED STATES Patented August 25, 1903.

W'ILLIAM WEIDMAN, OF LOWELL, WISCONSIN.

BAN D-CUTTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 737,539, dated August 25, 1903.

Application filed Pebrilary 21, 1903. Serial No. 144,420. (No model.)

To all whom it nut/y concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM WEIDMAN, a citizen of the United States,residin g at Lowell, in the county of Dodge and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Band-Cutters, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention relates to band-cutters for severing the bands of bound or bundled grain; and the primary object of the same is to provide a device of this class which is adapted to be strapped or secured to the back of the hand of the operator to leave the thumb and fingers free for unrestricted use in feeding grain or otherwise manipulatingthebundlesorsheaves of the same. Many hand-supported implements have been devised for cutting bands encircling or binding bundles or sheaves of grain, but. all such handsupported cutters have been applied adjacent to the inner sides of the fingers or projected from the palm of the hand of the operator with serious disadvantages, in view of the fact that the hand was restricted in its free use, and, moreover, the cutter was liable to be brought in close proximity to other parts of the body with serious results. By disposing the improved cutter on the back of the hand and having the cutting edge of the blade outermost, as in the present invention, the numerous inconveniences and disadvantages heretofore encountered are fully overcome.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the several parts, which will be more fully hereinafter described anc claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved cutter shown applied to a hand in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the improved device shown distended. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of a slight modification in the form of the cutter.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

The numeral 1 designates a stiff metal supporting-plate secured to a pad 2 to fit over the back of the hand and provided with a wriststrap 3 and a palm-strap 4 at one end to engage corresponding buckles 5 and 6 on the other end, whereby the'entire device may be properly applied to the hand of the operator or of the blade to project and fit over the said plate 1, as clearly shown. The blade 8 is also secured to the plate 1 in any suitable manner, and the lower edge thereof is blunt and the upper edge 10 is sharpened and flares upwardly similar to the back contour of a simitar. In other words, the upper cutting edge of the blade is sharpened to readily pass under the binding means for sheaves of grain and the like and practically sever such means in distributing the grain on the feed-board of a thresher or analogous machine. The cutting edge 10 in the construction shown by Figs. 1 and 2 is smooth or unbroken; but that shown by Fig. 3 is serrated to facilitate in some instances the cutting of aband offering obstruction to ready cutting operations.

In applying the improved device the pad 2 is arranged over the back of the hand, as shown by Fig. 1, and the strap 4 passed around the palm of the hand in advance of thethumb. The strap 3 is then adjusted around the wrist, and after both straps have been secured to the buckles 5 and 6 the pad and the platethereon, together with the blade 8, are held against shifting movement either laterally or longitudinally, and the upper cutting edge of the blade is also disposed in central position relatively to the back of the hand. In the use of the device the operator turns his hand over and brings the cutting edge of the blade against the band or binding device around the sheave of grain to be severed.

From the foregoing it will be seen that an operator in feeding grain and severing the bands of the sheaves thereof is permitted to have free use of the palm of the hand and the fingers, and by locating the cutting-blade on the back of the hand accident or injury to the other parts or members of the body during the operation of handling the grain is avoided.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- A band-cutter comprising a pad having palm and wrist straps at one end and buckles for engagement by said straps at the other end, the said pad being shaped for application to the back of the hand, a plate secured on the pad, and a blade rigidly fastened to the upper side of the plate and extending longitudinally from the latter, the blade ha'vl ing its rear extremity recessed to extend over the plate and partially abut against the front I edge of the latter and provided With an lip-- per cutting edge and a lower blunt edge.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

' WILLIAM WEIDMAN.

Witnesses:

P. E. BELMER, CHR. A. CHRISTIANSEN. 

